Author, doctoral candidate, and former Delta College student, Jesse De La Cruz, will read from his memoir, Detoured: My Journey from Darkness to Light, which chronicles his life of poverty, his “Detour” into crime, and his effort to transform his life through education and service. De La Cruz will speak on Wednesday, October 12, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. at San Joaquin Delta College’s Tillie Lewis Theater. The public is cordially invited - admission is free.

Published this past August, De La Cruz’s memoir has been praised by a number of important writers. Jimmy Santiago Baca, winner of the Pushcart Prize and the American Book Award, makes clear that Detoured is a story told by a mature storyteller. “The reason the story is so important is that it’s a template for understanding many of the ills plaguing society today. Jesse De La Cruz gives us a lens to look through; his lived experience is laden with recipes and solutions to our societal dilemma. His memoir addresses Chicano/Mexican culture, the disastrous prison mess we find ourselves in, racism, crime, family, and education.”

De La Cruz, currently a doctoral student at CSU Stanislaus, has been speaking at a number of California campuses over the last several weeks. His memoir is not a story of unrelieved darkness. Ultimately, the theme is: Education can lead to redemption.

Bestselling author and poet, Luis I. Rodriguez, calls Detoured a “compelling” story. “It’s the kind of story that redeems, brings us home. Detoured teaches us that all people have transformative qualities if given half a chance.”

The first 60 people in attendance to this Cultural Awareness Programs (CAP) event will receive a free copy of Detoured. The book will soon be available on Amazon. Don’t miss Jesse De La Cruz’s gripping personal chronicle - Detoured: My Journey from Darkness to Light.

Jesse De La Cruz, former Delta College student, and Author of Detoured: My Journey from Darness to Light.